1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for the treatment or prophylaxis of kidney diseases, including acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
2. Description of Related Art
Acute kidney injury (AKI) or acute renal failure is a syndrome characterized by the rapid loss of the kidney's excretory function and is typically diagnosed by the accumulation of end products of nitrogen metabolism (urea and creatinine) or decreased urine output, or both. It is the clinical manifestation of disorders such as high blood pressure and diabetes that affect the kidney acutely. AKI is common in hospital patients and very common in critically ill patients. Causes of AKI can include, but are not limited to, ischemia/reperfusion, trauma, kidney disease, and kidney transplantation. No specific therapies have emerged that can attenuate AKI or expedite its recovery; thus, most treatment is purely supportive. If patients survive their illness and do not have premorbid chronic kidney disease (CKD), they typically recover to dialysis independence. However, evidence suggests that patients who have had acute kidney injury are at increased risk of subsequent chronic kidney disease.
It is believed that glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the most relevant metric for determining the extent of AKI and progression of CKD. Reduction in the GFR secondary to kidney injury, either acute or chronic, are accompanied by increases in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels. Thus, if a compound or a composition capable of increasing GFR while reducing or suppressing BUN and serum creatinine levels, such compound or composition would be a potential lead compound or composition for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prophylaxis of kidney disease, including AKI and CKD.